Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-11-12
THE LETTER.

1t was at Saint alery-en-C aux, during
the bathing season, that Nine. Alice
Vivien first met Roger de Beaumont
Roger was finding the hours quite
tedious at that domestic resort.
He had noticed Nine. Vivien, who was,
by far, the prettiest of all the fair bath
ers at the place, and he thought that
counting her would be very pleasant way
of varying the monotonous life he was
leading.
Nine. Vivien dwelt in pretty cottage
by the seaside. Her husband, detained
in Paris by his business, could only
manage to come down once a week and
remain with her from Saturday to Mon
day.
At the age of II Alice had been married
to Mr.. Vivien, gentleman 30 years of
age, whose devotion to her was blending
of love with fatherly tenderness.
She was an honest, upright woman,
who would have repulsed Roger de Beau
mont had he begun to make love to her.
But the young man was too shrewd to
proceed in this way. He understood the
young woman's ingenious heart, and he
endeavored to gain her confidence by slow
degrees.
He was the ideal of her most secret
thoughts; in a months time he had
gained her love, even before she herself
was aware of it.
Roger himself was beginning to take an
interest in the game he was playing. He
even felt growing passion for that ador-
able and artless young woman, and one
evening, while with her at the pierhead,
where they had gone to enjoy the breeze,
he exclaimed, in voice full of emotion:
81 love you'll"
She tried to make him hush, to show
that she was offended; but he, whose
ardor and boldness seemed heightened by
the charm and poetry of the delightful
evening, continued, in passionate tone
81 have loved you since the first day
saw you! And you love me, too! know
it, feel it! Only let me worship you.
Don't avoid me, don't repulse mef'
Hush! for Heavens sake, hushr'
"Ohl do not answer me in that way;
me, who adore you; let me hope that you
will say that you love mel''
AS he looked at her she seemed ready to
faint; shining teardrops were yelling in
her eyes, and her little hand quivered like
u captive bird.
''Let me CO." said she in voice
scarcely audible.
He escorted her to her gate, and, bow
ing low, lie said: 81 shall expect an
answer; it will be sentence of death or O
command to live
An avowal would perhaps have escaped
from Alice's lips had not the noise of
footsteps and the sound of voices fallen on
, her ear.
Dreading to be seen, and already as
timorous as guilty person, the young
woman withdrew and hastily entered the
house.
II love him, tool I love himrr muir
INJURED she, and remembering how
anxiously the young man had wished for
an avowal of her love, feeling her heart
OVERLOOKING, she hastily wrote with a fe-
verish hand:
Roger, l love you, and shall impatient
| ly wait for tomorrow. ALICEn
She smiled while thinking of the glad
ness that would fill Rogers heart when
he read her letter, and, notwithstanding
the lateness of the hour, she fastened out
to drop it in the letter box.
She had barely returned to the house
when vague feeling of dread began to
Cypress her. The intoxicating charm that
had possessed her was dissipated, and, to
her mind, came the picture of her husband,
so contiding and loving.
The next day, from the moment she
awoke, she had but one thought, to get
back her letter
About 4 o'clock in the afternoon she
went to the casino, where she was sure to
| find Roger, who, as soon as he saw her,
| advanced with outstretched hands, his
! eyes beaming with triumphal Joy.
''Sir, said she, yesterday | had mo-
ment of folly; forget it, pleased do not
love you, | swear it'll have never loved
you'll and l shall never love you-no,
never!"
Roger, disappointed, looked at her, q
wicked smile playing about his lips.
''You are an adorable capricious wo-
man. said he, somewhat insolently, to
conceal his vexation.
ooh, sir, do not be unkind. Please
| give me back tile letter I SO foolishly sent
your
''But l appreciate your letter very
much. 1t is charming!''
! Sir, l am a faithful wife and I love my
! husband"
/ The young man smiled again, and lean
ing toward Alice he looked straight into
her eyes as he said:
II haven't your letter with me. l care
fully locked it up at home.'
The young woman stepped back in
| stinctiyely.
} ''Be generous, for heavens sake! Do
what l ask do not wish to see YOU
again. Send me back my letter, I be-
seech you. Return it to me through the
! postoffice.n
She begged him with clasped hands,
her face pale with anguish.
''Perhapsr' replied the young man,
deliberately, bowling gracefully as he
started off.
She felt like following him, to tell him
how angry she was, but, some of her
friends coming up, she was obliged to
J stop and talk to them about indifferent
/ and frivolous matters while her very soul
was tortured by impatience and feelings
of shame.
! 1t was Thursday, and she thought of
leaving the next day, as soon as she got
her letter back, picturing to herself the
happiness she would feel in rejoining her
husband.
She slept very badly, at times certain
/ that Roger would return her letter, and,
at others, dreading that he would not do
so, especially when she remembered his
insolent, ironical look.
About 6 in the morning, Just as the
fatigue brought on by her emotion was
setting her asleep, she was awakened with
start by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Some one raped at the door.
''Alice, it is l." called out Mr.. Vivien' s
/ joyful voice.
She FASTENED to let him in, exclair1ing
with transport: 'rWhy, Is it you already
was not expecting you for two days yet9''
II wished to surprise you. 1 was able
to finish all my business little ahead of
time, but did not dare send you word,
as was afraid that at the last moment
something might have sprung up to detain
me in Paris
Inc young woman's heart was over
flowing with happiness in being again
| with her husband, who loved her so ten
derby, while at the same time it was o2-
pressed with feelings of shame and re-